Crossing Currents

Are Whitewater Helmets Safe Enough?

In the United States, whitewater helmet manufacturers aren't actually required to meet any safety standards. Many do choose to meet the the CE EN 1385 standard for Europe, but it is the lowest standard of any sport. Does it even matter? We'll talk with Dr. Barry Miller of the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, the source of the only peer-reviewed concussion risk testing performed on whitewater helmets, and Ståle Møller, the founder and lead designer of Sweet Protection, to find out what really makes a whitewater helmet safe and whether or not you can truly trust that helmet you'll find on the shelf of your local outfitter.